Bustle or distender.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908. T. J. WALL. BUSTLE OR DISTENDER. APPLICATIONFILED MAB. 7, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1 mamas rzrem cm, emu, n. c.

PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

' T. J. WALL.

B'USTLB 0R DISTENDER.

,APPLIOATION IILED MAE. 7, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7n: "0km; PETZ'RS cm, WASHINOYON, n. c.

Cir

THEODORE J. WALL, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

BUSTLE OR DISTENDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Application filed March '7, 1907. Serial No. 361,088.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE J. WALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Bustles or Distenders, of whichthe following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to bustles or distenders such as are usually wornunder the clothing.

The obj eet of this invention is to produce a bustle ordistender of thischaracter which is 1 light andwashable, and which is constructed topermit of free ventilation, thereby rendering the same more comfortableto the wearer owing to the absence of any heating effect and alsorendering the same perfectly sanitary.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2 sheets: Figure 1 is a frontview of one form of my improved bustle or distender. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the same. Fig. 3 is a Vertical section, on a reduced scale,taken centrally through Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the bustleshown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side view showing a modification of abustle embodying my invention. Fig. 6 is a vertical section, on areduced scale, of the last mentioned construction.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

- The body of the bustle or distender shown in Figs. 14 consists of apair of crescentshaped marginal bands of tape or similar material whichare arranged side by side and consist each of a lower transverse portiona and two upright portions a a projecting upwardly from opposite ends ofthe lower portion, and a plurality of pairs of intermediate bands B, Barranged transversely one above the other to form a tier and havingtheir opposite ends connected with the upright portions of the marginalbands, and one or more vertical spacing or retaining bands C connectedwith the intermediate parts of the marginal and intermediate bands andserving to hold the same in the proper position relatively to eachother. Around this body is arranged a marginal ruflle D of crescentshapewhich has a lower transverse portion (1 and two upright portions dextending upwardly from opposite ends of the transverse portion. Theinner or upper edge of this marginal ruffle is secured between thecorresponding arts of the members of the marginal ban s while the outeror lower edge of ,bustle, thereby causing this ruflle is free ordisconnected from the marginal bands of the body throughout its length.

\Vithin the marginal rul'l'le a plurality of intermediate ruflles E arearranged transversely each of which extends from one upright part of them. rginal rutl'le and bands to the other and is secured at its upperedge between the members of one 01 the intermediate pair of body bandswhile its lower edge is unattached from end to end to said body.

The intermediate rull'les are so arranged and of such width that thelower edge of each overlaps the upper edge of the one next below thesame so that together the several ruflles form a mass or cluster ofru'l'l'les.

The uppermost pair of intermediate bands B are arranged at the upperends of the upright portions of the marginal bands and ruffle and onemember of this uppermost pair of intermediate bands, preferably thefront one, as shown in Fig. 1, is extended to form tie strings F wherebythe bustle or distender may be fastened around the waist or other partof the body of the wearer to which the distender is to be applied.

By constructing the body by means 01 the bands in the form of a skeletonin the manner described the amount of material in the bustle and weightof the same is reduced to a minimum, thereby avoiding undue heating ofthe person which otherwise would be produced, rendering the sameparticularly desirable for use by persons having ailments which areinjuriously ail'ected by such heating. Furthermore this construction ofthe body of the bustle permits free circulation of air through the samewhich also tends to keep the same cool.

The entire bustle is made of fabric, thereby permitting the same to bewashed as readily as other clothing and rendering the same sanitary.

Inasmuch as the lower or outer edges of the ruilles are all free ordisconnected from the body throughout their length the same may beeasily and properly ironed alter being washed.

By constructing the marginal part of the bustle in the form of acrescent-shape rul'lle and the intermediate part thereof by means of aplurality of transverse rul'l'les, these ruffles are permitted to mergeone into another so as to taper oil at the edge of the the same to leadevenly over to the body of the wearer and fit the same so that the outergarment will lie smoothly on the body and bustle and no wrinkles ordepressions will be perceptible at the edge of the bustle. Furthermoreby arranging the outer ruflie and band of the body in crescent form astrong and durable structure is produced which is not liable toderangement under the strain to' which the same is subjected while inuse.

Instead of constructing the body ofthe bustle of skeleton or open workform, as shown in Figs. 1-4, the same may be constructed of a solid orimperforate sheet of fabric G, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This lastmentioned construction has all the advantages of the first mentionedexcept that it is somewhat warmer, heavier and lacks the capacity ofthorough ventilation.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bustle or distender comprising a body, a crescent shaped marginalruffle having its transverse portion secured to the lower edge of thebody and its side portions secured to o posite vertical edges of thebody, and a p urality of intermediate ruffles secured transversely tothe body one above the other within the marginal ruffle and having theiropposite ends terminating at different points along the upright parts ofthe marginal ruffle, substantially as set forth.

2. A bustle or distender comprising a skeleton body composed of amarginal band of crescent-shape having a lower transverse portion andtwo upright portions extending upwardly from opposite ends of the lowerportion, and a plurality of intermediate bands arranged transversely oneabove another and each connected at opposite ends with the uprightportions of the marginal band, a marginal ruflie of crescent-shapesecured to said marginal band, and a plurality of intermediate rufflessecured to said intermediate bands, substantially as set forth.

3. A bustle or distender comprising a skeleton body composed of amarginal band of crescent-shape having a lower transverse portion andtwo upright portions extending upwardly from opposite ends of the lowerportion, a plurality of intermediate bands arranged transversely oneabove another and each connected at opposite ends with the uprightportions of the marginal band, and an upright spacing band connectedwith the marginal and intermediate bands between the ends thereof, amarginal ruffle of crescent-shape secured to said marginal band, and aplurality of intermediate ruflies secured to said intermediate bands,substantially as set forth.

4. A bustle or distender comprising a skeleton body composed of a pairof marginal bands of crescent-shape havlng its members arranged side byside and each consisting of a lower transverse portion and two uprightportions extending upwardly from opposite ends of said transverseportion, and a plurality of pairs of intermediate bands arrangedtransversely one above another, the members of each intermediate pairbeing arranged side by side and connected at opposite ends with theupright portions of said marginal pair, a marginal ruffle securedbetween the members of said marginal pair of bands, and a plurality ofintermediate ruffles each of which is secured between the members of apair of intermediate bands, substantially as set forth.

5. A bustle or distender comprising a skeleton body composed of amarginal band of crescent-shape having a lower transverse portion andtwo upright portions extending upwardly from opposite ends of the lowerportions, and a plurality of intermediate bands arranged transverselyone above another and each connected at opposite ends with the uprightportions of the marginal band, a marginal ruffle of crescent-shapesecured to said marginal band, a plurality of intermediate rufliessecured to said intermediate bands, and tie strings forming extensionsat opposite ends of the uppermost intermediate band, substantially asset forth.

6. A bustle or distender comprising a skeleton body composed of a pairof marginal bands of crescent-shape having its members arranged side byside and each consisting of a lower transverse portion and two uprightportions extending upwardly from opposite ends of said transverseportion, and a plurality of pairs of intermediate bands arrangedtransversely one above another, the mem bers of each intermediate pairbeing arranged side by side and connected at opposite ends with theupright portions of said marginal pair, a marginal rufile securedbetween the members of said marginal pair of bands, a plurality ofintermediate ruffles each of which is secured between the members of apair of intermediate bands, and tie strings forming extensions of one ofthe members of the uppermost pair of intermediate bands, substantiallyas set forth.

l/Vitness my hand this 4th day of March,

THEODORE J. WALL. Witnesses:

THEO. L. PoPP, E. M. GRAHAM.

